| Election Name: | 2024 Preston City Council election |
| Country: | Lancashire |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2023 Preston City Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2023 |
| Next Year: | 2025 |
| Seats For Election: | 16 out of 48 seats to Preston City Council |
| Majority Seats: | 25 |
| Turnout: | 107,500, 25.9% [1] |
| Leader1: | Matthew Brown |
| Party1: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 31 seats, 64.6% |
| Seats Before1: | 31 |
| Seats After1: | 30 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Popular Vote1: | 11222 |
| Percentage1: | 40.3 |
| Swing1: | 12.2 |
| Leader3: | Susan Whittam |
| Party3: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election3: | 10 seats, 20.8% |
| Seats Before3: | 10 |
| Seats After3: | 6 |
| Seat Change3: | 4 |
| Popular Vote3: | 5961 |
| Percentage3: | 21.4 |
| Swing3: | 6.9 |
| Leader2: | John Potter |
| Party2: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 7 seats, 14.6% |
| Seats Before2: | 7 |
| Seats After2: | 12 |
| Seat Change2: | 5 |
| Popular Vote2: | 8094 |
| Percentage2: | 29.1 |
| Swing2: | 3.5 |
| Map Size: | 375px |
| Leader | |
| Posttitle: | Leader after election |
| Before Election: | Matthew Brown |
| Before Party: | Labour Party (UK) |
| After Election: | Matthew Brown |
| After Party: | Labour Party (UK) |
The 2024 Preston City Council election took place on 2 May 2024 to elect members of Preston City Council in Lancashire, England.[2] This was on the same day as other local elections across England, and Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner election.
As is typical for Preston's council elections, sixteen seats of the forty-eight total were contested.[3] Labour have had majority control of the council for most of the council's existence, including from 2011 following a period of no overall control. Labour retained their control with a comfortable majority at this election. However, the Liberal Democrats enjoyed a successful election, nearly doubling their seat count after taking several seats from the Conservatives[4] and becoming the main opposition in Preston City Council. In addition, in a shock result the Liberal Democrats took a seat from Labour in the Lea and Larches ward, unseating then-cabinet member for health and wellbeing (and acting county council Labour opposition group leader) Jennifer Mein by a mere 13 votes following a recount.[5]
The majority of contested seats were fought only by Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats; however in five wards, independent runners or the parities Reform UK and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition also stood although none of these were successful in gaining a seat. Unlike last year, the Green Party did not stand in any seats.
Following the election the leader of the Preston Conservatives Sue Whittam announced her resignation as leader.[6]
The Statements of Persons Nominated was released by Preston Council on 8 April 2024 following the close of nominations. The results were announced a day after the election.[1] Incumbent councillors that stood for re-election are marked with an asterisk (*).